Sooke PotHoles
Regional Park is a swimmers paradise located on the banks
of the spectacular Sooke River.

Enjoy the views, explore the trails or take a
refreshing dip on a hot summer day!

Just a 30 minute car ride beyond the urban core, the Sooke potholes
are one of the more popular swimming spots in the capital region.

Pick any Sunday during the dog days of summer.
Chances are its sunny, about 25 degrees outside and you wish
you could peel your skin off to beat the heat. But instead of practicing
your Robbie Robertson impersonations, why not just go to the beach
instead. If youre willing to travel somewhere picturesque,
then the Sooke Potholes is where you should be headed. This cool
swimming spot is a scenic half hour drive from the city centre.
Most traces of Victoria disappear the closer you get to Sooke and
are rreplaced with lush forests and single lane traffic each way
along Sooke Road.

The
water is clear and cool, and the scenery
looks a lot like a Tourism B.C. brochure photo shoot. But just
because
this place is tucked away off the Sooke River, and is at least
half
an hour outside of Victoria by car, that doesnt mean it isnt
popular with locals. Parking can be a problem during the peak of
summer. Either get down to the river early or be prepared to park
further up the road.

Theres
more to the Sooke Potholes
than just swimming. A small creek runs under a wooden bridge on
the way from the parking lot. Further upstream along the creek,
there is a modest, but photo worthy spot, complete with a waterfall,
mossy rocks and shallow pools of clear water. Since most people
will be heading for the beach, theres a chance that you will
have this waterfall to yourself for a while.

Potholes parkland thanks to Shaw

photo
contributed

Sooke
Potholes will soon be a Capital Regional
District park after The Land Conservancy
reached its donation campaign goal.

By Jennifer McLarty
Weekend EditionMay 27 2005

Canadian media giant Shaw Communications has
dipped into its wallet to help protect one
of B.C.'s most spectacular swimming holes.

The company announced Wednesday it's contributing
$200,000 to The Land Conservancy's Sooke
Potholes campaign, which will finalize
the famed property's transformation into
a regional park this summer.

"It took 2,700 individual donations to hit the $700,000 mark. Now with Shaw's
generous donation, we've reached our $900,000 goal," said TLC executive director
Bill Turner.
"That's it. There's no more fundraising to purchase the land. Our focus now is
getting ready for visitors next month."

Altogether, the 63.5-hectare property cost
$3.3 million - $2.4 million coming from
the Capital Regional District and $900,000
from TLC.

The new park will be overseen by the CRD, but
The Land Conservancy will get 8.5 hectares,
including an existing campsite, industrial
area and abandoned lodge.

Over the next three years, it hopes to build
an environmentally friendly visitor centre
to attract eco travelers from the world. "We'll be
having a contest for the best design concept," said Turner.

"Then it will be back to fundraising to actually complete the building,"

For
now, trail and parking improvements are on the
to-do list this summer. A grand opening is planned
for June 26.

Celebration to mark park at Potholes

By Norman Gidney
Times Colonist staffJune 25, 2005

Sooke Potholes Regional Park will open officially on Sunday with a
series of special events starting at noon at the scenic riverside property.

The newest Capital Regional District park is
a five-kilometre strip of land by the Sooke
River purchased by The Land Conservancy and
now being sold to the CRD.

The two groups are organizing “a big celebration,” said Jeff Ward
of CRD parks. It will be an afternoon of family activities, plus talks by a
naturalist, displays, classical music and refreshments.

“There’ll be lots to do for people,” he said. Organizers are
expecting hundreds at the park. Main events will be beside the former lodge
building, now demolished.

Formerly known as Deertrail, the property was
a development site and is upstream from Sooke
Potholes Provincial Park. Ward said the land
had been cleared of most of the old tanks,
sheds and industrial equipment.

“The transformation has been amazing over the last couple of months,” said
TLC’s Tom Arnold.

Two new access points into the park have also
been created and it’s easier
now to get down to the swimming holes.

Some Deertrail major fundraising sponsors will
be there: Spinnakers offering smoked and
barbecued salmon, Sooke Harbour House with
fresh-made cookies and ice cream, Sooke Lions grilling hot
dogs and hamburgers.

Sooke Cycle will be there to fix flats and repair
bikes, and the Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue
group will rappel down the canyon wall.

Parking is limited. Visitors are encouraged to
park at Edward Milne School on Sooke Road
and ride a shuttle bus to the park. Cyclists
or pedestrians can take the Galloping Goose
trail, which goes right to the park. .